PENETANGUISHENE, ON, May 13, 2016 /CNW/ - Three workers have been injured in a violent incident at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care. The workers were attacked by a patient in an area of the building that houses people who are found unfit to stand trial, or found not criminally responsible for violent crimes.

"Three workers were taken to Georgian Bay General Hospital to be treated for injuries sustained in the attack," said OPSEU Local 329 President, Pete Sheehan. "One worker suffered an injury to his knee and cuts and bruises, the other two were bitten so hard, their skin was punctured."

This is the third significant violent incident involving staff injured by patients in just over one month. On April 5, 2016 a worker was stabbed in the back with a screwdriver and sustained multiple injuries. A nurse manager who intervened was also stabbed and two other workers were injured. The next day, three more were hurt in another attack.

Waypoint operates under a general hospital model of care. OPSEU says the model is inappropriate for the types of offenders the facility houses and does not emphasize the safety of staff and patients – which should be paramount.

"This should be a wake-up call to the government," says OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "How many more of these incidents do we need to see before the Liberals take notice? These workers were fortunate to have escaped with their lives. Next time they might not be so lucky. How much blood needs to be spilled before our top ministers realize that these workers need to be protected?"